Monday, July 24, 2017

The Ostara Tarot , owing its name to the pagan vernal equinox, marks
the midpoint ofspring and ushers in a time of light,
rebirth, and new growth. In this deck, you will discover a journey that loosely
follows traditional Tarot symbolism, while also exploring themes of wilderness,
surrealism, and feminine intuition.

The Tarot is a tool for self-exploration,
and this deck questions the user’s relationship with the earth beyond our
concrete city life. The illustration pays homage to the natural world and those
romantic moments in history where we return to nature. Mysticism and fantasy
grow green in our hearts and beckon us home to the forest.

This is a 78-card Tarot deck
and guidebook connecting to Vernal equinox to the reader’s life. It has the
traditional symbolism with contemporary themes, teaching core lessons and
diverse messages.

My favorite card is The Fool,
beginnings, innocence, trust, and freedom. A girl rides her broomstick through
a sky filled with birds, getting dangerously close to the sun. The Fool is
shown at the beginnings of her journey, symbolizing unlimited potential. This
card tells us that each day is an adventure. The Fool tells us that now is the
time to be “foolhardy” and to set out on a new adventure without worrying too
much about the consequences. It is easy to hum and haw about the dangers of
living, without ever actually going for what we want. This card tells you to
trust and enjoy life, and that we will only grow through experience.

I was given this deck from
Schiffer Books for an honest review.

About the Author

Molly Applejohn, Eden
Cooke, Krista Gibbard, and Julia Iredale are four illustrators living in
Vancouver, Canada. After meeting at art school and discovering a shared love
for the occult, they decided to tackle the ambitious task of illustrating a
Tarot deck.

Shakespearean
Tarot is very classy with the use of today’s character look and yesterday’s
clothes come together. The box it comes in is made of sturdy cardboard. The
design on the box is a crisp new look. The colors are vivid with a detailed
picture of long ago Empress.

Using Your Tarot Cards

The cards of the Shakespearean Tarot deliver a message
that we may receive through meditation and introspection. In this way, the
cards teach us how to be wise. Tarot allows us to meditate in order to learn
about ourselves, to use self-control and to make the best choices in life.
Tarot provides a view of life and reveals opportunities through its images and
card combinations. But the final choice about how to actually conduct our lives
belongs to us alone.

A Tarot deck is a personal
item. Do not lend your deck to anyone else. Before using your Tarot deck for a
reading, go through the cards and carefully consider each image. What emotions,
ideas, or messages do the images convey to you? You may want to jot down some
notes of personal reactions to each card.

Reading Tarot Cards

Read your Tarot cards anytime
you want or need to. Night time and the day of a full moon provide the most
favorable environment. You must be in a good mental state. You should not be
anxious or under stress. Your surroundings should be quiet and should provide
filtered light.

During a reading, a candle can
be lit and cards may be spread on a clean black or white sheet.

Questions must be clear and
precise. The cards should be well-shuffled and cut, and the chosen cards taken
by the left hand. If a card escapes and falls out during the shuffling, look at
it carefully. It is always an important indication in your reading.

If necessary, you can read
cards for a person who is not with you. Use a signifier card chosen from the
deck, or have a photo or letter present during the reading written by the
person for whom you are doing the reading.

The Major Arcana

There are 22 Major Arcana
cards. One of them, The Fool does not have a number assigned to it; it is
usually considered card 0 or card 22. The Major Arcana cards represent our most
significant like experiences.

A Midsummers Night’s Dream ends
with the Puck’s farewell speech ushering in the dawn with the rising of the Sun; its radiance warming the hearts of all
present, enriching us and bringing new hope with a new day, for through hope
and love is the union of the spiritual and material achieved.

The future is neither carved in
stone nor painted upon pasteboard; Tarot cards do not prophecy the future—they merely
guide us. Do not be discouraged if you occasionally have a negative reading;
take it as a warning. Consider the message, and make the choices that best suit
you and your situation. Tarot invites you to follow your intuition; it remind
you that you have free will and you should exercise it.

About the Author

Michael
Kucharski has been an art mentor, art teacher, cartoonist, illustrator, graphic
designer, exhibit designer, artist, painter, print maker, and visual problem
solver and will always be a student of the arts. He has created many
Tarot-based images; this is his first complete Tarot deck.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

At first look at the box I knew
I had to have them. Beautiful Creatures Tarot deck comes in a colorful box
suited just for this which is made of sturdy cardboard. The box will keep your
cards and companion book safe while not in use.

This is the second edition by
J.R. Rivera and artwork by Jasmine Becket-Griffith. The first time I held them
in my hands I felt a connection to them. In the being of the companion book
there are a few affirmations. This is the best one “The pursuit of truth and
beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all
our lives.” Albert Einstein. Beauty, truth, and light: three characteristics
sought after by humans, and each one more complex and elusive than the other.
Tarot is, in many ways, a purveyor of beauty, truth, and light. The images are
usually considered beautiful. The messages we get from the cards, we consider
truth. And the wisdom and guidance, as well as spiritual lessons, we consider
as light that shine, helping us along our path.

Using the Beautiful Creatures
Tarot, Second Edition, will be like
any other Tarot deck. It is meant to guide you and give you wise advice when
you most need it. When you feel you have lost hope and have nowhere to run,
these beautiful creatures are here for you. Always! For as long as you need
them to be. These beautiful creatures come disguised as mystical beings such as
fairies, witches, countesses, maidens, etc. Other creatures might be similar to
people with whom you’ve crossed paths or people in your life.

There are keywords printed
below the images for this second edition. These keywords are meant to be a
pinpoint, a compass for you so you do not lose your focus or concentration on
what the cards mean and the messages conveyed. After spending time working with
these cards, you will see that the need to depend on keywords will no longer be
an issue for you because you will have already connected with the cards on a
deeper level. And this, my friends, is a step in becoming an authentic Tarot
reader – by listening to your cards and what they have to say.

I highly recommend this Tarot
deck for all who are interested in working with Tarot cards. It will make a
great edition to your collection.

I have been given this Tarot
deck from Schiffer Publishing Ltd for an honest review.

About
the author

J.
R. Rivera, an empath, has been reading Tarot and oracle decks since the age of
thirteen after experiencing his first haunting premonition. On Samhain day, he
holds his own mini-rituals to stay in contact with departed souls by the use of
cartomancy and meditation. He has collected over 500 decks from around the
world. J. R. is also an avid dog lover, animal rights supporter, and LGBT Ally.
Jasmine Becket-Griffith is a traditional acrylic painter. Her trademark
liquid-eyed maidens evoke a wide range of emotions and responses to the
surrounding imagery. Her images appear in many books and in magazines, as well
as countless merchandising lines, such as the Bradford Exchange, the Hamilton
Collection, dolls with Ashton-Drake, and her lines with Disney. Her paintings
appear in public and private collections throughout the world.